1986 Open Championship

1986 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates17–20 July 1986
LocationSouth Ayrshire, Scotland
Course(s)Turnberry
Ailsa Course
Tour(s)European Tour
PGA Tour
Statistics
Par70[1]
Length6,957 yards (6,361 m)[1]
Field153 players, 77 after cut[1]
Cut151 (+11)[1]
Prize fund£600,000
$900,000
Winner's share£70,000
$105,000
Champion
Australia Greg Norman
280 (E)
← 1985
1987 →
 Turnberry is located in Scotland
 Turnberry
 Turnberry
Turnberry is located in South Ayrshire
Turnberry
Turnberry

The 1986 Open Championship was a men's major golf championship and the 115th Open Championship, held from 17 to 20 July at Turnberry Golf Resort, Scotland. Aided by a 63 in the second round,[2] Greg Norman won his first major championship at even-par, five strokes ahead of runner-up Gordon J. Brand.[3][4]

It was the second Open at Turnberry, the first was in 1977, the famous "Duel in the Sun" between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. The winning score that year was a record-breaking 268 (−12), twelve strokes lower than Norman's even-par 280 in 1986.

Introduced in 1968, the second cut (at 54 holes) was discontinued after 1985. Also changed in 1986 was the playoff format, to a four-hole aggregate immediately following the final round, rather than 18 holes the following day (and 36 holes prior to 1964). The new playoff was first used three years later in 1989.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 46, 203. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  2. ^ Smith, Sam (19 July 1986). "Norman charges into British lead". The Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 2.
  3. ^ Denlinger, Ken (21 July 1986). "At last, it's a Norman conquest". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Washington Post). p. 1B.
  4. ^ Smith, Sam (21 July 1986). "Norman's conquest is major". The Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 3.